Sean Westrope

Director and CEO, Celtic Solutions Ltd
Director and CEO, The Small Hydro Company Ltd

Sean has 25 years of international program management and commercial experience in delivering complex capital investments that realise strategic business objectives and managing corporate relationships to deliver common objectives. A versatile intellect and leader with proven negotiation, organisational, interpersonal and communication skills developed in large public and private sector organisations. Experienced in establishing joint ventures and structured finance propositions. Applied systems thinking successfully to both change management and corporate restructuring.

Career details and achievements

• The small hydro company, CEO
• Cross London Rail Links Executive Team
• DTI NDA structuring team
• Oxford Infracare Ltd Interim CEO
• Network Rail General Manager
• URS Corporation Director of Program Management
• Southern Water

Skill detail, track record and services provided

Trained as a civil and structural engineer, Sean has worked in the business managing major infrastructure capital investments and corporate commercial interests.

At the small hydro company Sean was appointed by shareholders to establish this start up business in the renewable energy sector. This involved the raising of £1 million of seed capital and subordinate debt options, establishing a partnership arrangement with British Waterways and securing the required land to underpin a £125 million asset investment plan, including engaging the supply chain and developing the design of the HEP Installations for submission to the Statutory Consent process.

At Crossrail Sean was appointed to redefine and establish the formal principle commercial relationships between the corporate parties involved in realising the Crossrail Train Service; DfT and TfL as Sponsors of the hybrid Bill; CLRL, London Underground and Network Rail as operators of the train service, in a complex political and stakeholder environment. His work was a major contribution to the Bill reaching Royal Assent.
Prior to this Sean was appointed by DTI (then shareholders) to restructure the Westinghouse UK Nuclear Fuel manufacturing operations and BNFL Transportation Subsidiaries, working closely with the respective executive boards, in preparation for the introduction of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority that came into effect on 31 March 2005.

As interim Chief Executive at Oxford Infracare LIFT Ltd Sean was accountable to the shareholders for the development of Primary Health Care Centres, including Key Worker Accommodation and other on site services such as Pharmacy’s, through government lead PPP initiative. This included securing Land, Planning Permission and Finance.

At Network Rail Sean was accountable for the commercial and contractual arrangements to enhance the company’s rail infrastructure with Government and other commercial organisations. The reorganisation of the Company’s commercial function played a major part in stablising the Company’s financial position.

Sean has his own company Celtic Solutions that provides strategic advice and interim management services.